Sewer drain cleaner



Dec. 13, 1960 G. D. ARNOLD ETAL 2,964,191

SEWER DRAIN CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 4, 1956 val.

\ir lllrrl? INVENTOR. GOQDO/V H 419N019 5);! 00/5 COP/VH1 ATTORNZY Dec. 13, 1960 e. ARNOLD EI'AL 2,964,191

SEWER DRAIN CLEANER Filed Dec. 4, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent SEWER DRAIN CLEANER Gordon D. Arnold, 1116 Jasmine Ave., Fort Pierce, Fla., 21d Louis E. Cornell, 4622 Sylvan Drive, Savannah,

Filed Dec. 4, 1956, Ser. No. 626,264

1 Claim. (Cl. 210-241) The object of this invention is to provide a device for cleaning sewer drains and the like with a minimum of spillage on the ground.

It performs this in one continuous operation by pumping water and semi-solid matter out of the sewers and depositing it in a settling tank where the solid matter is picked up by a bucket type conveyor which delivers it to a truck. The excess fluid flows from the settling tank through an opening into a discharge tank. The discharge tank has a drain opening to allow the fluid to flow back into the sewer. A series of screens are placed in the discharge tank to restrain solid matter from entering the drain opening.

The elevator unit is mounted on a pivot to allow placing it in a horizontal position on top of the machine to make a more compact unit for transporting. The cleaning of sewers to permit free flow of the material is an essential operation for the maintenance of a sewage system and all present methods are costly, laborious and create a very unsanitary condition.

With the device herein described this operation can be accomplished with less time and expense and does not create an unsightly and unsanitary condition.

A drain chute is suspended beneath the bucket conveyor to return to the settling tank any fluid that spills from the bucket in their progress to the dumping point into the truck. A telescoping tube is provided between the drain opening in the discharge tank and the delivery to the outfall pipe opening for more safety and convenience in entering or leaving the manhole when installing or dismounting the unit.

Having thus briefly outlined the object of the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings the structure and features will be better illustrated.

Figure l is a side elevation of the machine.

Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the machine.

Figure 3 is an illustration of the machine in operation.

Figure 4 is a cross section of the expanding plug.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings reference number 1 indicates the frame structure, 2 is a pumping unit, 3 is the settling tank, 4 is the outlet of the pumping unit, 5 is the bucket type elevator unit, 6 is the discharge tank, 7 is the opening to permit overflow of fluid from the settling tank into the discharge tank, 8 is the restraining screens, 9 is the return pipe to permit the fluid to return to the sewer after the solid matter has been removed, 10 is a drain chute to receive any spillage of material from the buckets and return it to the settling tank, 11 is a conventional hitch to attach the unit to a truck or other vehicle for transporting, 12 are adjustable supporting jacks for supporting and stabilizing the machine during its operation, 13 is the telescoping pipe for returning the fluid to the sewer, 14 is the receiving truck, 15 is the conveyor unit, shown in broken lines, in position for transporting, 16 is the infall sewer pipe communicating with the manhole 23, and 24 identifies the lower portion of the sewer manhole from which material is being pumped, suction conduit 25 connects with pump 2 and serves as the pipe extending into the manhole through which the material is pumped from the manhole into the settling tank 3, 17 is the sewer pipe plug to prevent the accumulated material in the manhole from entering the outfall sewer until it has passed through the machine, 18 is the outfall sewer.

The frame, pumping unit and settling tank are located above ground level, identified generally at 28, while the top 29 of the manhole is approximately at ground level. The bottom 30 of the manhole, underlying the lower portion 24 wherein sand and other sediment collect, is located substantially below ground level. A power unit and driving mechanism are only generally identified in broken lines at 21 in Figs. 1 and 2 as they are conventional and are not claimed as a part of the invention.

In operation the machine is placed in position adjacent a manhole or other opening. The sewer is plugged off in sections. The suction tube and return tubes are placed in position as shown in Fig. 3. The expanding plug 17 as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, and which comprises an annular sealing element 26 and a wedge element 27 inserted therein for expanding the sealing elements, is placed in the outfall pipe 18. The threaded nut 19 is tightened against element 27 until the plug expands and seals the sewer outfall pipe 18 except for the tube 20 to which the return tube 9 is attached. Tube 20 is externally threaded to receive nut 19, and, as shown, this tube passes and is sealed through the plug. The elevator unit is placed in operating position. A truck or other conveyance is placed under the discharge end of the elevator. Then the contents of the sewer manhole 23 are pumped into the settling tank. The buckets on the conveyor belt pass through the contents of the settling tank and pick up the solid matter. As the buckets progress toward the discharge point, excess water drains out of them through openings provided for that purpose and falls into the drain chute and returns to the settling tank. Thus it will be clearly seen that no unsanitary residue is left on the street. The contents of the settling tank is maintained at a constant level by permitting the fluid to flow from it into the discharge tank through one or more openings, such as opening 7, so placed to maintain the desired level. A series of protecting screens are placed in the discharge tank to restrain any solid material escaping the buckets in the settling tank and entering the discharge tank from entering the sewer through the drain pipe. These screens are easily removed for cleaning.

The driving mechanism is so arranged that either the pumps or the elevator can be operated singly or in unison as desired. When the receiving vehicle has been filled, the elevator is stopped while it is driven away and another placed in position.

With the foregoing description it will be clearly seen that the objectives of this invention to provide a machine that will perform this essential operation in a clean, fast and sanitary manner and can be transported from one location to another" with case; that can be put into operation with a minimum of effort are accomplished.

What we claim is:

In a sewer cleaning machine for cleaning a sewer at a manhole thereof, wherein said manhole opens at its top at substantially ground level and has a bottom below ground level and is provided with sewer infall pipe and outfall pipe openings each located a substantial distance above said bottom and below ground level, said machine comprising a suction conduit extending from a lower end adapted and arranged to be disposed adjacent the bottom of said manhole to an upper end above ground level, a pump connected to said conduit operable tonpump liquid and sediment through said conduit from adjacent the bottom to said manhole to and out of said upper end of said conduit, a settlingttank positioned to receive the liquid and sediment issuing from said upper end, and a liquid return conduit having an. upper end communicating with said settling tank and arranged to receive cleaned liquid therefrom, the combination therewith of a sealing plug having an opening therethrough, saidplug being adapted and arranged for sealing insertion into said outfall pipe opening thereby to isolate completely said outfall opening from communication with the in- ..terio1; oftsaid manhole, said return conduit being adapted and arranged to extend from said tank downwardly into said manhole and having a lower end portion sealed through said plug opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 287,811 Dougine Nov. 6, 1883 739,589 Clifford Sep. 22, 1903 1,437,007 'Otterson Nov. 28,192 1,445,197 Bolling Feb. 13, 1923 2,735,122 Pletcher Feb. 21", 1956 

